SIXTH MOLDOVAN DEMINING CONTINGENT EN ROUTE TO IRAQ;

C O N F I D E N T I A L CHISINAU 000854

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/UMB
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DOD

E.O. 12958: Declassify 08/20/18
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PARM MD
SUBJECT: SIXTH MOLDOVAN DEMINING CONTINGENT EN ROUTE TO IRAQ;
GOVERNMENT SEEKS MONEY FOR "PREPARATION COSTS"

REFS: A. Chisinau 0744 B. 07 Chisinau 1205

Classified by CDA Kelly Keiderling under 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: The sixth Moldovan Army demining contingent left
Moldova on August 19, en route to a week's trainup in Kuwait before a
six-months' deployment in Iraq. The Government of Moldova (GOM)
notes that 86 deminers in the previous five contingents have
destroyed 30,000 tons of ordnance in Iraq; the GOM also seeks USD 3.6
million for "preparation costs" for all six contingents. End
summary.


2. (C) Members of the contingent, consisting of 16 deminers and four
staff, are all officers or warrant officers; the contingent leader is
a colonel, and his assistant is a lieutenant colonel. The unit will
be based near Mosul and quartered with other Coalition units.
According to the GOM, since the first deployment in 2003, five
contingents totaling 86 members have destroyed 30,000 tons (388,000
devices) of explosives, and suffered no casualties apart from one
minor injury. Chief of Defense Division General (two star) Ion
Coropcean told DATT that, in light of the renewal of the UN
Peacekeeping Mandate, the contingent will remain in Iraq for a full
six months.


3. (C) Coropcean also raised with us the promise made by DASD Debra
Cagan in October 2007 (ref B) that, if funds could be found, the USG
might reimburse the GOM for preparation costs involved in training
the demining contingents. The GOM's estimate of such costs is USD
3.6 million, which includes the value of obsolete Soviet-era rockets
destroyed by the Moldovan military. Post's DATT and ODC chief, in
coordination with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the
European Command, are preparing a response which reflects actual,
reduced costs to the Moldovan military.


4. (C) Comment: Coropcean indicated that he was ready to negotiate
on the preparation costs, but hinted that the GOM's willingness to
deploy contingents in the future would depend on some sort of
reimbursement. Given the difficulties faced here in getting Moldovan
approval to send this contingent (the last effort took a year-Ref A),
and sensitivities regarding Moldova's neutral status, Post recommends
that means be found to make a payment to the GOM that reflects actual
costs. End comment.

Keiderling